Method and system for container location analysis

Abstract

A method for container location analysis, preferably including one or more of: determining a candidate geofence, determining a set of geofences, and/or adjusting geofence positions. A system for fill level determination, preferably including a computing system, and optionally including one or more containers and/or one or more location sensors associated with each container.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for location analysis, comprising:
 receiving a set of initial geofences, each initial geofence of the set defining a respective position in a space and a respective shape; 
 determining a plurality of candidate geofence positions in the space; 
 for each initial geofence of the set:
 selecting a neighboring geofence from the set of initial geofences; 
 based on the initial geofence and the neighboring geofence, selecting, from the plurality of candidate geofence positions, a respective set of candidate geofence positions; and 
 if the respective set of candidate geofence positions consists of a single candidate geofence position, adding the initial geofence to an eligible subset of geofences; 
 
 based on the respective sets of candidate geofence positions, determining an eligible subset of candidate geofence positions, wherein no candidate geofence position of the eligible subset of candidate geofence positions is included in more than one respective set of candidate geofence positions; and 
 for each geofence of the eligible subset of geofences, if the respective single candidate geofence position is included in the eligible subset of candidate geofence positions, relocating the geofence position to the respective single candidate geofence position, wherein, for a first geofence of the eligible subset of geofences, the respective single candidate geofence position is included in the eligible subset of candidate geofence positions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the neighboring geofence is selected based on a distance L* between the initial geofence and the neighboring geofence; and 
 the respective set of candidate geofence positions is selected such that a distance from the initial geofence to each candidate geofence position of the respective set is less than a respective threshold distance, wherein the respective threshold distance is determined based on the distance L*. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the distance L* is defined between a center of the initial geofence and a center of the neighboring geofence. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein, for each initial geofence of the set, the respective set of candidate geofences is selected such that a distance from the initial geofence to each candidate geofence of the respective set is less than a respective threshold distance. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein, for each initial geofence of the set, the respective threshold distance is determined based on the distance L*. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein, for each initial geofence of the set, the respective threshold distance is less than L*/2. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a location dataset comprising a set of locations in the space, wherein the plurality of candidate geofence positions is determined based on the set of locations. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the set of locations comprises an unassigned subset, wherein each location of the unassigned subset is not enclosed by any initial geofence of the set; 
 the method further comprises, after relocating the geofence positions, based on the unassigned subset, determining a third set of geofences; 
 each geofence of the third set defines a respective position in the space and a respective shape; and 
 each geofence of the third set encloses a respective plurality of locations of the unassigned subset. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the set of locations comprises a plurality of subsets, each subset associated with a different container of a plurality of containers; and 
 determining the plurality of candidate geofences comprises, for each subset of the plurality of subsets:
 based on the subset, selecting an initial position; 
 based on the initial position, selecting a cluster of locations of the subset; and 
 determining a respective candidate geofence of the plurality based on the cluster of locations of the subset. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the set of locations comprises a plurality of subsets, each subset associated with a different container of a plurality of containers, wherein the plurality of containers comprises a dumpster. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first geofence is associated with a waste generation site. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a second geofence of the set of initial geofences is associated with a waste disposal site. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the set of locations comprises a plurality of subsets, each subset associated with a different container of a plurality of containers, wherein the plurality of containers comprises an intermodal freight container. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a location dataset comprising a set of locations in the space, the set of locations comprising a plurality of subsets, each subset associated with a different container of a plurality of containers; and 
 based on the set of locations, determining a location type for a geofence in the space. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the set of initial geofences comprises the geofence. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location type is a waste generation location. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location type is a waste disposal location. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location type is a container depot location. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein determining the location type is performed based on a first subset of the set of locations, wherein a location of the first subset is located within the geofence. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first subset is associated with a first container, wherein determining the location type is performed based further on metadata associated with the first container. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the metadata comprises a time series indicative of a first container fill level.